employee of the day, part 2

Outro que rexeita un premio e os cartos oficiais por coherencia. E se estamos ante unha nova tendencia?

The Galician writer Agustin Fernandez Paz rejects the Galician Culture Award -and the cash- given to him by the Galician government as a response to this government being the first one in history to pass laws against the Galician language. Just like Santiago Sierra a few days ago, seems like some artists are following their beliefs and not the institutional acknowledgment and money that come with these otherwise thought of as 'prestigious' awards. Good for them, we all know it is not an easy thing to do.

The story of another Galician writer regarding highly regarded awards, the Spanish language literature Nobel Prize Camilo Jose Cela, is very well known. He said the Cervantes Award -considered to be the Spanish Literature Nobel- was covered in shit, meaning it had no value, only to run and grab it when it was given to him.

People like Agustin Fernandez Paz or Santiago Sierra give us all a lesson, although the latter's move might be more of a part on his art speech. Nevertheless, many artists change their speech for 30,000 euro. He didn't, nor has Fernandez Paz.

 Photo by Gustavo Rivas.

You can read more about this in Galician clicking here.

employee of the day

 

Pic credit

Employee of the Day is Santiago Sierra, for not accepting the National Art Award and its 30,000 euros given to him by the Spanish government and letting the Spanish Culture Minister, Angeles Gonzalez-Sinde, know so:

Dear Ms. Gonzalez-Sinde

I am grateful to the art professionals that remembered and evaluated me in the way they have done. However, in my opinion, the awards are given to who has done a service, such as an employee of the month.It is my wish to express at this time that art has given me a freedom that I am not prepared to resign from. Consequently, my common sense compels me to reject the award. This award manipulates the prestige of the winner on behalf of the state . A state that cries out for legitimation while resigning on the mandate to work for the common good regardless of which party occupies power. A state participating in an insane war together with a criminal empire. A state that happily donates public money to the banks. A state committed to the dismantling of the welfare state for the benefit of international and local minorities.The state is not we all. The state is you and your friends. Therefore, don't count me among them, because I am a serious artist. No, sirs and madames, Global Tour.Health and freedom!

Santiago Sierra